Introduction
Geren and I were not our parents' only offspring. Our older sister Lapis was three years our senior. She had warm skin and pale blue eyes like ice. Her sun streaked hair darkened with age until there was scarce a trace of the tawny shade it began from. Our brother Slate had gray eyes the color of the city walls. His hair was a mop of ashen waves always falling to cover his face.
Of the four of us, Geren and I were closest, nearly inseperable. Not surprising considering our shared birth. We were not always alone in our explorations, for when we were but toddlers my father appointed a new stable master and he brought with him a wife, who would become our nanny, and son - our new companion and lifelong friend. I could not guess then how this would change us all forever.
Tijer je'Fomily took an instant liking to us and we soon were three adventurers where once there had been two. Tijer and Geren were my two best friends, my guardians, my confidants, my knights in shining armor.. Oh the endless fantasies we acted out, I the eternal damsel in distress, they taking turns between vilian and hero. I guess some part of me knew even then how special they both were.
When we were but five years old a tradgedy struck that broke into the illusion of safety we all believed surrounded Mayfield. Master je'Fomily had been in the stable preparing for the upcoming harvest season. Though his own error, or by some strange accident, his lantern was cast amongst the hay and a blaze erupted that engulfed the stables. By the time the fire was seen from the main house he had managed to free the horses, but was nowhere to be found. Mistress di'Fomily believed she heard him calling and left us, and her own son, with my mother and then vanished into the fire. Neither returned from the flames.
After that, a cloud of despair hung over Mayfield. Time continued to pss and eventually life went on as best as it could. Tijer was wrought with nightmares about fire for many months. He, an orphan now, was taken in by my parents and stayed with us until his two and ten year when he went to live with his father's brother, Jonash je'Fomily, to become his apprentice. Jonash was the best cartwright in the City.
The night before Tijer left for the city we snuck out of the house after supper and stole through the trees of the forest to our favorite spot in the meadow. I was a mix of emotions. I was sad about him leaving and mad at him for abandoning me. I remember even now how he looked that night standing in the moonlight, his black hair waving round his face, his golden brown eyes shining with anticipation and fear, and something else. We talked for what seemed like an eternity that night under the stars. I asked him then as only a young girl could ask
(cont.)